Editor, Manteca Bulletin,

On behalf of the Forester family, we were wowed this past weekend with the Memorial Day Weekend events on Sunday, May 27, 2012.  We could tell by our communication with Shelli Prosser and The Place of Refuge Church that it was going to be a first-class event, but we never expected to receive the treatment you showed us.  Thank you for honoring our son and brother.  Thank you for showing us and all the Gold Star families so much respect.  And most importantly, thank you for honoring our heroes.  Manteca and its people will forever hold a special place in our hearts after what we not only witnessed, but felt.  I would like to see a more patriotic city than Manteca, because I think such a place would be hard to find. 

We were also touched to meet so many God-fearing Americans who love this country.  There was a special feeling at the event that we will never forget.  We were also honored to meet some of the local Gold Star families, as well as Lance Cpl. Ronnie Porta, teammate of Manteca’s Lance Cpl. Charles Palmer.

To Pastor Dillman, his staff and family, Pres. Dave Crocket and family, City of Manteca, Phil Waterford, Patriot Guard Riders, Welcome Home Heroes Foundation, other volunteers, and many others, we say thank you.  We will share our experience in Manteca with everyone we know here in Haleyville, AL, as well as across the country.  As Mark would say, “Roll Tide!”

Thad Forester
www.markaforester.com
Haleyville, Alabama
June 1, 2012